Today, it doesn't matter if you grow food or purchase it, Ohio Farm Bureau invites you to work with your neighbors to enhance the quality of life in your community and the unique ways agriculture touches our lives.

Why CAUV lawsuits not best approach

Farm Bureau’s perspective is that lawsuits are not the preferred way to gain reforms. Litigation can take as long as six years. Another problem is courts can’t enact solutions.

A lawsuit filed by one group of landowners, which seeks class action status, alleges that the Ohio Department of Taxation has illegally raised CAUV valuations and asks the court to refund what the suit claims are illegally collected taxes. A second group of landowners has filed an administrative appeal asking the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals to rule that the tax department has not allowed sufficient deductions for woodland values and require the higher deductions be used going forward.

The lawsuit and administrative appeal both have uncertain outcomes. The lawsuit would proceed through the court system, with the possibility of a trial and appeals. The administrative appeal will similarly follow the Board of Tax Appeals hearing process and has the potential of an automatic appeal directly to the Ohio Supreme Court.

Resolving lawsuits like these can take years. Should the court find the tax department acted illegally, it would leave to the legislature or the department to sort out what it should be doing instead. And, if the goal is to encourage change at the tax department, a lawsuit diminishes the ability to negotiate an amicable solution.

Farm Bureau is not involved with either legal action but continues to monitor both cases and may engage in the future.

Meanwhile, the organization continues to pursue further improvements to CAUV. Last spring, OFBF secured administrative changes that held down the amount of increases in future tax years and improved the valuations for woodlands.

In talks with the tax department, administration and lawmakers, OFBF continues to seek changes to improve how landowners are taxed and preserve the program for future generations.

Ohio Farm Bureau Federation is a member of American Farm Bureau Federation®, a national organization of farmers and ranchers including Farm Bureau® organizations in 49 other states and Puerto Rico, and is responsible for Farm Bureau membership and programs within the State of Ohio. Ohio Farm Bureau Federation programs and services are available only to Farm Bureau members within Ohio. The political views expressed in these pages represent Ohio Farm Bureau Federation's positions on various issues as they relate to Ohio. The positions of the national Farm Bureau organization collectively are expressed through American Farm Bureau Federation. Any opinions, statements or views expressed through comments or by outside contributors are the express views of those individuals and do not necessarily represent the views of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation.